This invention relates to apparatus for generating energy from wind and water flow. The new generator may have a generally cylindrical enclosure with a paddle wheel rotatably positioned therein to alternately extend and retract paddles through slots in the enclosure wall.
Various wind and water flow driven energy generating devices and apparatus may be known. Such apparatus may involve a paddle wheel rotatably mounted on a shaft and structure. The paddle wheel may or may not be mounted in an enclosure. Those apparatus that include an enclosure may have an opening or duct that may allow fluid flow to impact paddles or blades to rotate the paddle wheel to power a coupled power generating device, such as an electric generator. The enclosure may be designed to have an opening in a wall to allow flow into the enclosure and against the paddles during only a portion of the paddle wheel rotation. Alternative paddle wheels may have paddles rotatably attached on circumferentially space frames such that the paddles rotate against the frames to cause rotation of the paddle wheel in one direction and rotate away from the frames to float in the fluid flow to not create drag or oppose the rotation of the paddle wheel in the desired direction.